It was a good month for reading, you guys! In April, I was a little all over the place with my book selections. I read books I’d selected for Black History Month and Women’s History Month, but didn’t have time to read then. I picked a book for National Poetry Month. (The theme of this year’s reading is letting monthly cultural celebrations guide my selections, apparently.) Some selections were chosen by friends: I read a book for my local book club and read a book written by a friends’s mother. I also read a zine by a friend because I needed some pep talks (don’t we all)? Lastly, I squeezed in a book I’ve been sort of hoarding–because book hoarding is silly.

If you want to hear me talk books, I’m over on the podcast That’s What She Read today, which you can listen to on Podbean or on iTunes. I’m chatting with fellow guest Amy of Lemon and Raspberry along with hosts Serena and Ravena. I talked about the first three books in this post, as well as what I was reading and what I planned to read. (Though, because it was recorded two weeks ago, almost everything I mention is in the “read” pile now. Hah!)

Frederick Douglass was an abolitionist, amazing orator, and spokesman for slaves and oppressed free black people in America. He grew up in the bondage of slavery but was able to escape and live as a freeman, afterwards fighting for the freedom of all and exposing the true horrors of slavery. My Bondage and My Freedom is one of three autobiographies written by Douglas. Of the three, this book gives the most detail of his life in slavery.

Even if you’re not a fan of reading historical non-fiction or primary sources, Douglass’s work is approachable. He wrote in a conversational tone, as the goal with his writing wasn’t a simple autobiographical account, but yet to use the horrors he had faced to persuade readers against the arguments for slavery contemporary to the time. His experiences and logic were used to shed light upon the cognitive dissonance required to believe in the institution of slavery while also believing in Christian morality and the United States constitution.

April was National Poetry Month, so I picked up a book of poetry by one of my favorite authors, Sherman Alexie. Alexie also writes short stories and novels, but this is the first book of his poetry I’ve read.

I highly highly recommend this book. If you are only going to read one book of poetry in your life, let it be this one. Whatever assumptions you have about poetry: this crushes them. It’s classic Alexie but in a different format: dark, lyrical, human, and side-splitting hilarious. I also give it the made-up-by-me “Best Use of Footnotes” award.

This was my book club’s pick for April and I’m so glad it was! Gone Girl is a missing person mystery told in multiple character perspectives: it begins with the current perspective of Nick (who may or may not be guilty of something heinous) and with the past diary entries of his wife Amy.

It is so interesting to watch the investigation unfold–I had to continually reassess what I though had happened and would happen in the plot. It also takes the inter-workings of marriage to the extreme, which is really fun to talk about. (So, you know, read it and talk to me about it in the comments so I can say spoilery things.)

If you need characters to be likable, you might not like this one, fair warning.

Also cool: Gillian Flynn is from Kansas City, which is pretty cool. (And, in case you’re wondering: the rural Missouri described in the book is nothing like the city here. I promise.)

This book is in my top five favorite novels of all time. It centers around three families over three generations with three different cultures, thanks to the unlikely war-time friendship of Bangladeshi Samad Iqbal and the Englishman Archie Jones. The bonds of their families become intricately woven despite the characters’ flawed views of the world and each other.

Watching the lives of these characters unfold is fascinating. Because of Smith’s beautiful crafting of such a diverse cast of characters, you’ll come away from this novel with stronger abilities of empathy. “Can’t say fairer than that.”

This novel was written by my friend’s mother, Karen Gettert Shoemaker, and is a fictional account of her actual ancestors. Knowing a bit about how the novel was researched and written beforehand made reading it such an interesting experience!

I love how detailed this period novel, set in Nebraska during the first World War, was. It made it so easy to sink in and understand what “normal” people in the Midwest experienced during WWI. Through a German American farming family and a doctor facing a culture skeptical of medicine, this book explores the specters hanging over the America at the time: the xenophobia of German immigrants and the impending flu plague that was the worst in recorded history.

The plot did take a little while to pick up, so if you start reading this and don’t fall in love right away, give it a bit longer. I was bawling by the end, I was so attached to the characters. I can’t wait to get to meet Ms. Shoemaker next weekend so I can tell her how amazing her work is.

I’ve loved some of Neil Gaiman’s other works (and the episodes he’s written for Doctor Who!), but have been strangely hoarding this one. I’m not sure why: several friends have assured me I’ll love it. Maybe I felt like I was saving it for just the right time. But last month I decided that was silliness and hopped right in.

I loved it. There’s really not a whole lot I can say without giving too much plot away, so I’ll leave you to look up a synopsis if you want to ruin the first third of the book for yourself.

I was surprised by the writing style: I’ve read some of Gaiman’s shorter works and graphic novels, but this book felt more like Stephen King’s prose than Gaiman’s to me. Maybe he’s a master chameleon of writing styles! One thing remains consistent: Gaiman grounds fantasy in reality so well. This novel, as well as his other works, show an amazing force of imagination and I’m so impressed that, however fantastic the plots become, I still feel like this crazy stuff could really happen. (Except not really, because science.)

*There are some intensely weird over the top scenes in the book, so squeamish readers need not apply.

Kara of I Just Might Explode and karahaupt.com wrote herself a pep talk each day for 45 days, then created a fantastically designed zine from the content. It kicks ass, is like to make you cry a little, and is a good thing to have lying around when you need Kara’s awesome voice letting you know just how awesome you really are. I read it in one sitting, but I’m planning on reading one pep talk a day starting in June to see how that effects my creative work. It’ll be a fun experiment.

Have you read any of these books? What did you think? Make sure to put a big SPOILERS warning in your comment to warn others if you have ‘em.

We are Powell’s Books affiliates. Purchasing anything through these links helps to support the Nerd Nest.

I’ve read Gone Girl and American Gods and enjoyed them both – though when I finished American Gods I was like, should probably know a LOT more about mythology to get everything out of this I should! And my best friend wants to read a Frederick Douglass autobiography and we were discussing which one to chose last night, so crazy timing!

http://www.thenerdnest.com/ Megan Anderson

I thought that too about American Gods! It would be fun to pin down who everyone is when it’s not stated outright.

I chose this Frederick Douglass autobiography mostly based on the length; this one seemed the most in-depth. I hope your friend likes it!

Lizzy Bonderer

I loved Gone Girl so much!! I thought it was amazing how it twisted in the middle. It was one of those books that I had to put down more than once and just let it soak in. I totally freaked out my boyfriend telling him about the story. I love how crazy and genius the book is. I’m reading American Gods right now. I am not too far into it but I have been enjoying it.

http://www.thenerdnest.com/ Megan Anderson

I freaked Jake out just telling him the beginning of Gone Girl but left out the twist because now he might read it. (Or, more likely, I might read it to him.)

Gone Girl…oh emm gee. I got to the end and all I could say was, “What??? She let it end like that? Wait. REALLY???OMG.” It made me mad…and I’ve never had a book do that. But, for a writer to stir emotion like that is phenomenal, no?

http://www.thenerdnest.com/ Megan Anderson

I had a similar reaction to the end, but once I thought about it, I really think it’s the only ending that worked.

**SPOILERS** It also confirmed for me my suspicion throughout the book: that Nick is a sociopath. I think it’s kind of a funny joke about all of the things they were saying about marriage advice in the beginning, about how it’s all about sacrifice and compromise. This took it to the most extreme place it could go.

http://lifeonlakeland.wordpress.com/ Alissa W

HATED first part of Gone Girl read it because I felt obligated since so many were requesting and discussing it. Made me feel icky. Can’t wait to see what they do with the movie.

http://www.thenerdnest.com/ Megan Anderson

I’m surprised it was the first part and not the second half that made you feel icky!

If you don’t like this, I’ll be there are a lot of popularly requested books lately that get to you. Mass market books seem to be getting more transgressive. I was really shocked by The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo, for instance, because I was expecting something so popular to be MUCH more tame.

Claire T

I never finished Gone Girl. I could deal with the not very likeable characters but I found I just didn’t care enough. I adored American Gods though. I just read his Neverwhere novel but did not enjoy that as much although I totally agree about how his fantasy is so grounded in reality. It makes it a pleasure to read for me. I have been known to say mean things about Sci Fi and Fantasy…

http://www.thenerdnest.com/ Megan Anderson

Have you just read American Gods and Neverwhere by Gaiman? I’m trying to decide where to go next with his books.

Claire T

I have read them both since the start of the year. I was totally enthralled by American Gods… it all slotted together so well. I think my antipathy for the lead character in Neverwhere did not help in my enjoyment. I am thinking about The Ocean at the End of the Lane for my next book of his.

http://www.thenerdnest.com/ Megan Anderson

Kristin T. has some good suggestions for Gaiman up above!

http://www.hclappy.wordpress.com/ Jen

Gone Girl is next on my to-read list. I was trying to decide if it was worth reading even though I pretty much know what the big twist is…

http://www.thenerdnest.com/ Megan Anderson

Can’t wait to talk to you about it!

http://www.mylifeasateacup.com/ Kristin

I really need to go pour over your reviews some more, but I saw the cover of “American Gods” and couldn’t help but comment! I’m so glad you liked it; it’s about time I go back and read it (and it is really hard to talk about without giving things away!)

http://www.thenerdnest.com/ Megan Anderson

It is so hard! I had a bit of a spoiler before I started, but then realized that (other than maybe the title giving it away anyway), that I wouldn’t have found out the basic premise of the book until about a third of the way through if I hadn’t known beforehand!

You love Gaiman: which book should I read next?

http://www.mylifeasateacup.com/ Kristin

His short story collection “Fragile Things” is a favorite, and “Ocean at the End of the Lane” deserves all the hype it has gotten. “The Graveyard Book”, “Coraline”, and “Stardust” are all fun, light (light-hearted? Can they be? Who knows!) reads but “Anansi Boys” is a bit meatier and plays with some of the same characters/ideas as “American Gods”,

http://www.thenerdnest.com/ Megan Anderson

I’ve read Stardust and Coraline as well as a few of his graphic novels (I really liked Marvel 1602). Maybe I’ll go for Anansi Boys or The Graveyard Book next, depending on what shows up first at my favorite used bookstore haunts.